Gummed-tape moistener



Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,258

R. T. DAVIS GUMMED TAPE MOISTENER 4Filed oct. 2o, 1924 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,548,258 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT T. DAVIS, 0F NASHZUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR. TO NASHUA PACKAGE SEA.`1'.|I1\G1 CO., INC., 0F NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION O-F MASSA- CHUSETTS.

GUMMED-TAPE MOISTENER.

Application led October 20, 1924. Serial No. 744,679.

` State of New Hampshire, have invented certain `.new and useful Improvements in Gummed-Tape Moisteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devicesfor applying 4moisture to strips of dry-gummed paper or cloth to prepare the strips for application to bundles or packages, and has particular reference to that type of such devices which support a coil of the gummed tape in convenient position for a user to draw oif a desired length of the tape which, as it is drawn, passes over a moistening pad.

The principal object of my invention is to provide devices of thisl character which are simple in construction and capable of production at minimum cost. In addition to attaining this object, my invention enables the moisteners to be produced in practical form without including any parts that will get out of order or require adjustment.

Of the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of one oi my improved moisteners, with a coil of gummed tape in the position which it occupies when ready for use.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the moistener, omitting the -coil of tape.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts in all of the views.

With Ythe exception of the cup for the moistening pad, the entire device comprises a single strip or sheet of steel or other suitable metal bent to form a plate or table 12 having legs 13, the latter having, when desired, flanges to form feet 14 which may have screw holes to enable the device to be secured to a counter or table, or elsewhere, when. fixed position is preferable. The plate12 is provided with a coil-supporting depression by forming two longitudinal slits therein and transversely severing the portion between vsuch slits and bending the metal down to form an inclined member 15 hereinafter referred to as the tongue and a short lip 16 opposite the end of the tongue.

Near the higher end of the tongue the plate is formed with two transverse slots between which is a bar 17 capable of being bent to occupy a plane more or less above the plane of the plate, or below it, when desired, for a purpose explained hereinafter.

. A cup 18, for holding a moistening pad 19 of felt or other suitable material, is fitted to a hole formed in the plate 12. Said cup may be removable to facilitate cleaning it. Adjacent the moistening pad the plate is formed with integral teeth 2() preferably rising from the angle between the plate and the leg 13 at that end of the device, to enable the strip a of gummed tape to be carried down alongside of that leg when it is to be severed as presently described.

When the device is to be used, a coil a' of gummed tape is placed on the tongue 15 as 'indicated by Figure 1. It will automatically retain the position illustrated, its

proper lateral .position being maintained by the edges of the slot formed whein the tongue was cut. The end'of the tape a is passed under the tensionbar 17 and left free. It is then ready for use. When a certain length of moistened tape is wanted, the user grasps the free end of the tape and pulls it in a direction that will cause its under surface which. of course, is the gummed surface, to slide in contact with the moistening pad 19. When the .length desired has been so drawn, the user simply pulls in a downward direction so that the teeth 20 will rst puncture the tape and then cause its severance. It is not necessary to bear on or otherwise hold the strip at a point behind the pad because the tension barl? serves to hold the strip against longitudinal movement when said strip is being severed in the manner described. This holding is due to the strip passing down through one slot and up through the other slot at opposite sides of the bar 17. If the strip is a thick one and the friction of the tension bar is too great to render the strip to be fed readily when pulled over the moistening pad. the bar 17 may be bent up somewhat to relieve the tension, and if the strip pulls too'easily, 4

said bar may be bent down below the plane of the plate to increase the tension. The slots at opposite sides of the bar 17 serve -to guide the strip, and the bar coacts with said slots in maintaining the strip a always in position ready to be pulled when desired.

In connection with the fact that strip a normally projects beyond the moistening pad, it will be readily understood that if a user wishes to have that ortion moistened, he can slide that portion ack over the pad before pulling, or can, after pulling and severing, turn the severed length around and moisten the end which was the front end. If said `front end is slid back over the pad before pulling, the user can, if he wishes, stick that front end to the package which is to be secured by the strip, and then hold said front end pressed againstl the package while pulling the rest of the length desired. f

The device as a Whole is not only simple and of low cost, but is very compact. A shallow box will contain it, and if it is desired to place a coil of tape also in such box, said coil will lie flat under the plate 12.

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. A device of the character described, comprising a support for a coiled strip, a tension device for the strip, a severing means for the strip, and means for moistening the strip, all of saidparts excepting the moistening means being formed of one piece of sheet metal.

2. A gummed tape moistener having a single Hat horizolntal plate provided with a depressed portion for a coil of tape and also having strip severing means and a strip tension bar intermediate said depressed portion and the severing means.

3. A gummed tape moistener having a coil supporting plate provided with stripguiding slots and an integral strip-tensioning bar.

4. A gummed tape moistener having a slotted plate with an integral tongue incli'ned downwardly in the slot to form a coil support, and a tension bar and .stripsevering teeth integral with said plate 5. A gummed tape moistener having a strip-tension device and a strip moistener and strip-severing means in substantially a single horizontal plane.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a single strip of metal having a horizontal portion provided with a depression to hold a roll of gummed tape, the said strip being bent to provide legs at the ends of the horizontal portion, a moistening de vice being carried by the said horizontal portion.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

ROBERT T DAVIS. 

